A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.
Overview
An unnamed scholar of Imsil, in an episode dated 1654, claims to command spirits and to have two demon guards at his service. While playing chess with a friend, he becomes angry when the loser refuses to pay the agreed penalty in drink. He turns away, calls a formula into the air and appears to issue an order. When the friend runs through the courtyard, an unseen hand exposes and beats him, leaving visible marks. The assault stops after he submits.
The two guards are the scholar’s own stated attendants; the scene does not show two bodies or supply names or anatomy. The chapter also reports him shouting at devils said to have gathered after a nearby ritual and ordering a spirit to release a woman’s soul. These are further episodes of his reputed authority, but the text does not expressly make those spirits identical with his two guards.
In the last episode, a householder says that his daughter died and returned to life after a stranger drove away the being carrying her soul. She recognizes the visiting scholar, who dismisses the claim as nonsense. This report and his denial remain distinct from the directly narrated unseen beating. Gale’s introductory explanation of Taoist spirit-calling supplies the translator’s framework, not additional observed features of the attendants.
Origins & earliest records
Korean narrative in historical English translation
Records & interpretation
Complete chapter, relevant introduction and ending directly read; claims separated from editorial explanation.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Korean Imps, Ghosts and Fairies
Chapter 10, complete narrative and attached introductory notes. Gutenberg page labels are not relied on as printed pagination.
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
Primary records and illustrations
Korean Imps, Ghosts and Fairies (1913), translated by J. S. Gale
Chapter 10. Chapter 10, complete narrative and attached introductory notes. Gutenberg page labels are not relied on as printed pagination.
Complete source section, attached editorial matter and ending directly read. In the last episode, a householder says that his daughter died and returned to life after a stranger drove away the being carrying her soul. She recognizes the visiting scholar, who dismisses the claim as nonsense. This report and his denial remain distinct from the directly narrated unseen beating. Gale’s introductory explanation of Taoist spirit-calling supplies the translator’s framework, not additional observed features of the attendants.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Historical translated narrative collectionGale, Korean Imps, Ghosts and Fairies (1913), chapter 10Research access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.